Purse



(N0 M idel.

G. ADAMS.

PURSE.

c uaeniwr.

N, PETERS PbnlrrLilhogmplwr. wmun mn. uzc,

"UNITED STATESPATENT-OFFICE. Y

GEORGE F. ADAMS, OF NEWARK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES -HARDM AN, JR,OF BELLEVILLE, NEWV JERSEY.

PURSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,539, dated November13, 1883.

Application filed September .26, 1883.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing in Newark, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented eertain newand useful Improvements in Purses, fully described and represented inthe following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming apart of the same.

This invention consists in the combination, with a fiat purse or pouchhaving a convex bottom and a mouth formed of flexible mater al, of aU-shaped leaf-spring fitted to the sides and bottom of the purse, andoperating to stretch the mouth longitudinally, and thereby hold it shut.

It also consists in various details of 0011- struction, as claimedherein.

I11 the drawings annexed, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section ofa purse constructed with my invent-ion. Fig. 2.,is a perspective view ofa purse as it appears when held open. Fig. 3 is a horizontal transversesection of a purse, as on line 00 a: in Fig. 1. Fig. 4a is a transversevertical section of the same, as 011 line y y in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. 1, with an alternative construction; and Fig. 6 isa transverse vertical section of the open purse, as shown at line z z inFig. 2.

Figs. 1, 3, and 4 show the purse as made of india-rubber, molded to formin halves and united by sewing at the joint a, (shownin Fig.

3,) the stitches appearing at b in Fig. 1..

In all the views the bag is represented as of U shape, witha U-shapedspring, D, inserted inside of it, and having the extreme ends of thesame fitted to the extremities of the longitudinal slit which forms themouth, so as to stretch. the same longitudinally outward and draw theflat sides of the mouth into contact.

A is the body of the purse, which consists of two sides of the shapedescribed, and united at the edges so as toform a pouch, closed exceptupon the top or straight side, B. The

spring serving to keep the flat or straight sidesof the mouth B incontact, nothing more is needed to make the receptacle retain fiatobjects like coins, except a ledge or rib along the inside of the mouthto check theoutward movement of such objects, except when the purse isopened. Such ledge is shown at O in (No model.)

Figs. 1 and 4. as formed of the substance of the sides by shaping theindia-rubber in a suitable mold; and, as shown in Fig. 4, such ledgeseffectually prevent any thin object from slipping out of the closedmouth represented in that figure.

'Figs. 2, 5, and 6 represent a mode of con struction adapted to leather,cloth, and similar substances, the spring being shown extended over thetop of the purse at the' ends of the slit forming the mouth, and bentdownward over the outside, so as to embrace the fabric of the purse andbe secured thereto by rivet c. The ledges O are shown formed in Fig. 6by inserting strips of leather or pasteboard inside the mouth andfolding the upper edges of the purse inward to cover such strips, towhich they may be secured by sewing or cement, as preferred.

These different constructions show that my invention may be practiced ina variety of ways, and I do not therefore restrict myself to the preciseconstructions shown. The rubber purse may thus be made in one piece, ifpreferred, or of two parts united by cement, and 7 5 it would alsopreferably be lined with woven fabric to prevent the rubberfromtarnishing silver coins. The bags or purses formed of other materialmay be woven or knitted, and the spring may, if preferred, be placedupon 80 the outside and otherwise bent, and the upper ends turned inwardto clasp the fabric and be riveted thereto.- In such case the springcould be fastened to the outer edge of the purse by stitching orotherwise, and may be shaped in any manner to stretch the mouth, asdesired.

Having thus fully set forth the nature of my invention, it will beunderstood that it is a self closing purse, and that the same is openedby pressing the opposite edges together, as shown in Fig. 2, and thusbulging the sides apart.

I therefore claim my invention as follows:

1. A self-closing purse with straight flexible mouth, and having a U-shaped spring 5 adapted and operated to keep the mouth stretchedlongitudinally, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A purse having a straight mouth and convex bottom, in combinationwith a U- 100 i shaped spring, the ends of which are connect- Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set 10 ed with the ends of the mouthtokeep them my hand in the presence of two subscribing normally separated,as and for the purpose witnesses. set forth.

3. The combination, with the purse having GEO. B. ADAMS. a flexiblemouth, and constructed with a U- 1 shaped spring to keep the mouthnormally Witnesses: closed, of the ledges 0, applied to the insidesRICHARD KNEEsHAM, of the mouth, as and for the purpose set forth. J AMEsD. BEATTIE.

